What is normal heart rate?

[seasider18]

It seems that even here the goal post are being moved.

webmd.com/heart-disease/fea...

[BobD Volunteer]

Note that the part you refer to is only on the US side of that site and not on the UK one. My EP told me that normal heart rate should be between 60 and 80 . Below 60 is bradycardia and above 80 is tachycardia. Not so very different. It is like many things heart wise. They used to say that blood pressure should be 100+your age over 90 but now anything over 140/90 is considered high and they really want you below 135/80. One really can't win at this game. It is like business targets. You make one and they move the next quarter's out of reach.

[seasider18 in reply to BobD]

The cardiology targets concern me as it seems more and more that it the general condition that is being medicated rather the particular patient.

When I tried to get on a trial for renal denervation but was told that my BP was not consistently high enough the professor running it suggested that I was changed from Losartan to Perindopril. He wrote of it in such glowing terms that my GP said that the practice had changed all of their patients to it. After a few weeks the side effects were so bad that I had to go back on Losartan. I wondered what happened to the other patients but thought it not politic to ask.

[SRMGrandma Volunteer]

The 60-80 has always been the gold standard for heart rate. Blood pressure rates, like Bob said, now have lower numbers as the standard as they have realized all the damage that is done by allowing the lower high pressures to go untreated.

[seasider18]

After years in the 40's I can't get used being in the normal range since having my pacemaker.

I don't know what my heart rate was prior to being prescribed Verapamil MR for my BP in 2001 and taking it until my Aortic valve was replaced in 2012. I suspect it to be the cause of my low heart rate.

[ILowe]

1. 'Normal' varies enormously. What is more interesting is when it suddenly changes. Apparently, only in 10% of cases, an underlying cause can be found.

2. Everyone agrees, extremely high needs treating.

3. Drug companies are in the business of making profit. It is well documented that one way is to narrow the limits of what is regarded as normal, or in this case, lower the thresholds so you are more likely to take a tablet.

4. In a fascinating book, Dr Malcolm Kendrick, called "doctoring data" Chapter 5, he argues that the drug companies have been pushing mild hypertension. He provides evidence you do NOT need to treat mild forms. The book is not expensive and is worth the effort.

5. It is quite normal, and probably desirable, that as you get older, your blood pressure rises a bit.

6. Watch the change, not the absolute values.

[Hidden]

I totally agree with ILowe's comments.

I am completely normal for me! My RHR is around 45 and has been as low as 38.

I used to be subject to an annual aviation medical and only ever had comments of approval about my low RHR.

Please don't cause people concern by making broad statements regarding "normal" values of BP or RHR!

[seasider18 in reply to Hidden]

I'm not trying to worry people it is the 'normalisers and averagers' of the medical profession who are.

If you are normal why are you reading this Forum?

[Hidden in reply to seasider18]

One of the problems with these forums is that comments can be read in a different way to that intended. I am actually agreeing with you seasider, particularly about treating the person rather than generalising about the condition.

On other threads, I have read some rather ill informed comments regarding low RHR which are likely to have caused concern to the person asking the question. It wasn't you that I was talking about and I apologise for making you think that it was.

I am "normal for me" in that an RHR of 45 is perfectly normal.....for me.

I am reading this forum because I have Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation. Unfortunately that is now normal for me also!

[seasider18 in reply to Hidden]

Welcome to the Forum as you seem just to have joined it today.

The 40's seemed normal for me for many years as well they are for my marathon running GP.

Despite many ECG's it was regarded as normal although it seemed erratic to me. It was not until I had my aortic valve replaced that I went into AF.

Good luck with the treatments you may have.